Spatially-keyed, consolidated-data-controlled apparatus and method

Abstract

Methods and apparatus inspecting, maintaining, repairing, and replacing infrastructure assets, including any and all physical apparatus, devices, and objects therein, rely on both internal data analyzed for components as assets, but also scoring them for actual condition, by incorporating analyses of maintenance and repair data on operations improving lifetimes. Prediction modeling of lifetimes remaining originates from analysis of data originating from manufacturer testing, expert systems, similitude with external components and systems, which may be compared to lifetimes analyzed for actual assets in order to do servicing from inspection, maintenance, and repair, through replacement.

Wherefore, we claim: 
     
         1 . A system for maintaining components of infrastructure, the system comprising:
 a collection of tools, each shaped and sized to physically operate on at least one asset of a plurality of assets composing an infrastructure of interconnected and interrelated physical objects, each physical object thereof forming at least a part of a corresponding asset of the plurality of assets;   a computer system comprising at least one processor operating as a computing device, and at least one memory device operably connected thereto and operating as storage for data processed by the processor;   the at least one memory device storing inspection data reflecting a condition of each asset of the plurality of assets;   the at least one memory device storing executables comprising an analysis module providing analyzed data, based on the inspection data corresponding to a set of assets from the plurality of assets, a prediction module determining prediction data projecting performance of the set of assets, and a comparison module providing a comparison based on comparing the analyzed data to the prediction data; and   the computer system programmed to select a selection of the tools and operators therefor to operate on the set of assets, based on the comparison.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the computer system, further programmed to define types of the assets, each type corresponding to a component constituting a structure having a function and physical characteristics reflecting the ability of the type to accomplish the function.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the computer system is further programmed to select life parameters reflecting operational life remaining each of the respective types. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the
 computer system is further programmed to determine for each of the types, a life value corresponding to the each of the types within the plurality of assets and respective life parameters corresponding thereto, individually.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer system is further programmed to calculate a condition score for at least one of each asset and each type, the condition score reflecting the life value representing remaining operable service life. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the computer system is further programmed to calculate the condition score based on an inspection and another predicted data based on another assessment independent thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the computer system is programmed to calculate a normalized comparison ratio reflecting, at least one of a maintenance score and a condition score relative to a predicted life score of an asset of the plurality of assets. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the computer system is programmed to provide a predicted life of the asset based on an integrated score reflecting an expected operational lifetime of a subject component and independent information not originating with the asset itself. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the inspection data represent a physical condition observable by at least one of a sensor, electronic communication device, visual observation; and destructive testing; and   the plurality of maintenance events is selected from the group consisting of measuring, adjusting, exposing for visual inspection, cleaning, repairing, replacing, refurbishing, and modifying.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein inspection prediction data correspond to at least one of:
 analysis of the asset, based on a visual inspection;   analysis of the asset, based on measurable physical properties thereof;   analysis of a comparative component situated similarly to the asset;   an expert opinion independent from the asset; and   analysis of destructive test data corresponding to a removed component of the same type as that of the subject component.   
     
     
         11 . An article of manufacture effective to control a system for maintenance of an infrastructure made up of assets comprising components having physical properties and dimensions, the article including a computing system comprising at least one processor operably connected to a memory, wherein the memory is constituted as a non-transitory, computer-readable memory device storing data structures constituting operational data and executables, the executables constituting instructions executable on the at least one processor for operating on the operational data, and the data structures comprising:
 records corresponding to assets in the infrastructure, each asset being a component thereof;   a database linking information to geographical positioning of the assets and storing data reflecting attributes corresponding to the assets;   a prediction module executable on the processor to calculate a predicted life projecting remaining operating life of a subject component of the components in the infrastructure;   an analysis module programmed to instruct the processor to calculate an actual life remaining, based on the actual condition of the subject component; and   a comparison module programmed to determine a service for the subject component, based on comparing the actual life to the predicted life.   
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one of:
 a history module responsible for gathering, maintaining, and otherwise handling historical information;   a similarity module responsible for gathering historical information and linking information that relates assets similarly situated and the attributes corresponding thereto;   a management module responsible for intake, storing, indexing and retrieving the records;   a scoring module comprising a maintenance scoring module programmed for determining a maintenance score for each of the assets by analyzing the effect on the respective lifetimes of the assets based on maintenance events corresponding thereto.   
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the scoring module further comprises a condition scoring module programmed to receive inputs and calculate, based thereon, condition scores associated with the plurality of assets. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 13  wherein the scoring module is programmed to determine a projected lifetime of a selected asset of the plurality of assets based on evaluating both the condition scores and the maintenance scores. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the scoring module is further programmed to integrate the condition score and maintenance score with a financial analysis comparing continued maintenance with replacement of the components. 
     
     
         16 . A method of maintaining physical objects identified as assets of a plurality of assets in an infrastructure of a plant, the method comprising:
 identifying, by a computer system comprising at least one computing device, a plurality of types, each type corresponding to a structure having physical characteristics and a function as a component in an interconnected infrastructure of components;   selecting life parameters reflecting conditions corresponding to the types and corresponding to operational life of the types;   creating, by the computer system, a life value corresponding to the life parameters, by analyzing data reflecting a physical status corresponding to at least one of the types and instances of components of the types;   creating for each type, by the computer system, at least one of a condition score and a maintenance score, reflecting a lifetime for the each type, based on at least one of an inspection, and a prediction of the lifetime, not dependent on the inspection alone; and   determining, by the computer system, a comparison of the lifetime and the prediction, based on the prediction and at least one of the condition score and the maintenance score; and   dispatching equipment and operators for maintenance in accordance with the comparison.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising analyzing effects of attributes on at least one of cost and maintenance, wherein the attributes are selected from location, type, dimensions, area, a region or district of responsibility, soils, climate, topology including connections, topography including elevation and geography, geology, materials, dates, ages, manufacturers, event history, workers who have accessed the asset, assessments by those who have worked on or accessed the assets, records, links, loads, flows, chemistry of contents of surrounding environments, traffic, times, seasons, identifiers, capacities, use cycles, duty cycles, vendors, installers, condition from inspections and reports, costs, condition scores, maintenance scores, and integrated scores based on condition scores and maintenance scores. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of assets includes lines, pipes, fittings, fixtures, controls, connections, cables, poles, equipment, roads, canals, drainages, accesses, crossings, streets, trees, plants, buildings, ports, pumps, facilities, walks, signs, and other physical structures in at least one of a city and an industrial plant.